PHOTO: The Star/ANN

KUALA LUMPUR - They were well-dressed and approached their victim on the pretext of "offering a helping hand", but their intention was less charitable.

The four Pakistani men targeted a senior citizen at a bank in Taman Maluri on Monday but their attempted robbery was thwarted by passers-by who witnessed the incident.

Cheras OCPD Asst Comm Chong Kok Sin said the woman had gone to the bank to make a cash deposit at around 5.30pm.

"She placed the money into the machine but it rejected one RM50 note.

"She was trying to straighten the rejected note when the four men approached her and one of them grabbed the note as if to help her," ACP Chong said when contacted yesterday.

He said the woman, sensing something amiss, grabbed the note back from the suspect.

"Another suspect then pressed the cancel button on the cash deposit machine and the rest of the money was rejected as well.

"A scuffle ensued between the victim and the suspects and one of them managed to grab the cash before all of them fled the scene," he said.

However, some passers-by who witnessed the incident gave chase and caught the suspects.

ACP Chong said they performed a citizen's arrest and then contacted the police.

"Two of the suspects suffered head injuries during their struggle to evade arrest.

"The two have been sent to the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre for treatment," he said, adding that all the suspects, aged between 21 and 37, have been remanded to help with investigations.